The article studies inter-textual links of comediography of A. V. Sukhovo- Kobylin with N. V. Gogol’s literary legacy, the functions of Gogol’s allusions used by Sukhovo-Kobylin in the context of the formation of Russian realistic drama are being researched.
The article deals with the images of General Varravin and Rasplyuev and examines their relationships. The researcher shows how the state, represented by Varravin, creates a monster, which at some point becomes a danger not only for the city inhabitants, but also for its own creators.
The article regards the character of General Varravin – the main and only character moving the scheme forward in the drama «The Case» by A. V. Sukhovo-Kobylin. The ambiguity and inconsistency of this character are specifically highlighted.
